Question

What sort of boundaries should I have for my 2 yr old niece who plays with my 8 month old daughter?

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My 2 yr old niece is a sweet little girl but she likes to hug my 8 month old daughter and pull her close and it makes me nervous. She climbs on my mother-in-law to get close to my daughter. My husband's family puts them on the couch together for pictures and I feel very uncomfortable with my daughter's safety. Do you have any advice about handling this situation?

Mom Answers

maybe ask if they can sit on the floor so no one jumps off of the couch? fyi... babies are tough little buggers and as long as the toddler is not intentionally hurting or being too rough your baby will be fine. if baby cries its saying i dont like it! or that hurts! listen to your baby let your baby tell you what its okay with. (also if it makes you uncomfy it is not okay, and if any one is gonna get all butt hurt about YOUR FEELINGS, well thats self explanatory)

I feel exactly the same as you. My niece is 19 months and my daughter is 8 months. She loves babies and always wants to get close. I make my concerns known that I don't want them too close. She's always trying to poke, touch or once even tried to pick her up. So now I watch her closely and keep them apart. I may be over protective, but it's my job as a mother to protect my children. They will get a chance to play together when my little girl is older, I don't care what my in-laws think, it's my choice. Step up and set boundaries. Tell them....she's too young to play right now, they just have to be patient.

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